heart don't fail me now.

anya petrova. 22. orphan. a girl with no name, and no memories but these....

[awkwebby]

“Oh my gosh!!! That had to be my favorite song to dance to yet!” Webby cheerfully giggled as she did one last twirl. She had already bid a goodbye to her latest dance partner, and was back on the prowl in looking for her next one. “I spun around so many times, I feel like I became a human-sized spinning-top of doom!” She then exuberantly proclaimed, fully aware that her head was going to be spinning for the rest of the night now, yet that wasn’t about to deter her from dancing around a bit more. And as the song shifted into a new one, her eyes were able to lock directly at a new person who she spotted standing off on their own. With a wide smile, the girl skipped and paused right before them. “Hi! Wanna dance?” 

[anyapetrovas]

It was probably embarrassing to admit, but Anya had only ever really danced with one person before. Dimitri. From their shared night in Russia to the last ball they attended, she had never bothered to find any other partner before. Which was only problem number one. The second one was that she had never danced like this before. Waltzing was what she knew how to do, or swaying in a circle with a partner, that she could probably handle too, but this? Jumping around? Grinding? All the other types of way that everyone else seemed to know how to move their body that she didn’t even know the words for? No, that she couldn’t do. “I... I don’t think so, sorry. I’m not really much of a dancer...”

[blcndiegothel]

– “i know it might seem a little weird but i promise you it tastes amazing.” she said, pointing at her kartoffelpuffer. “its like a potato pancake. seriously, it’s great. it’s the only recipe gothel gave me that i didn’t despise in the end.” rapunzel took a bite of her snack and hummed in appreciation. “is this your first friendsgiving? its my first friendsgiving. at first i was really excited but now i’m just sort of nervous. theres a lot of people here. what do i even do when they ask me what im thankful for? i could go on for hours!”  

[anyapetrovas]

“okay then,” anya answered with a small shrug as she decided to try it anyway. after all, people had been avoiding her dish all day - it would be wrong to do the same for someone else’s. scooping up a small portion of the potato pancake and adding it to her plate. “yeah. we don’t really do this stuff in russia... i guess just say something generic? like you’re thankful for everyone here? or simply name a few people and then move on?” 

[anyapetrovas]

Ever since the masquerade ball and her night spend catching up with a certain someone from her past, Anya had been feeling better than ever. Which was why she had decided to come to this friendsgiving party in the first place. It wasn’t like she knew that many people around, but hey - it was free food and alcohol, how was she supposed to turn that down? So with a full plate she moved to take the first open seat she saw, already a few drinks in and feeling light and bubbly inside. Turning to the person besides her, she smiled when she recognized him as the local mortician she had shadowed a few months ago. “Think there’s gonna be any dead bodies you might need to attend to today?” @unluckykiing​

[anyapetrovas]

✉ - dimitri

Anya: So...Anya: What’s up?Anya: How have you been?Anya: You know what no, I shouldn’t be the one making the first move. You fucked up - not me. You used me for your stupid little games. Not me.Anya: But also you’re like the only person I actually want to spend any time with around here and I kind of miss you and I hate you.

[anyapetrovas]

dimitriv-anov‌:

It was a good thing the mask distracted from his eyes because Dimitri was watching her a little too closely. Her mannerisms hadn’t changed, aside from her acquired (and rational) caution, but she held herself stronger than she used to. It seemed Corona was a good change for her after all. The corner of his own lips tilted up a bit at her comment, mirroring her subconsciously. When she agreed to stepping out, however, the hint of a smile became a full-blown grin, purposefully refusing to show any surprise at her answer. It was a big step for her to agree, and he wasn’t about to blow it. “You think I’d skimp on the drinks?” And with that, he pushed himself away from the wall and motioned for her to follow him. It was a short walk to the bar, a large part of why he’d stood where he had, and he quickly drew the attention of the bartender. Dimitri ordered a drink that he knew would keep the guy distracted at the other end of the non-permanent bar for a while (a Rob Roy on the rocks with a twist), and waited until he was far enough away to slip behind the edge of the bar. After glancing across their options, he looked up at Anya with a mischievous smile. “What’s the lady in the mood for? Vodka, rum, whiskey, tequila?”

Following behind, Anya realized she should probably feel bad about this - about stealing alcohol from the party, letting Dimitri work his conning magic on the bartender. After all, this was what had been part of the problem between them, hadn’t it? His conning ways and how he used people simply as means to an end. But also, this was a ridiculous party. And the alcohol was being given out for free - so what difference did it make if they kept coming back for fancy drinks or just took a bottle themselves? “Whiskey,” she answered easily, keeping her eyes on the bartender the whole time. Not that she didn’t trust Dimitri’s ability, but just because it was still instilled in her to be cautious during situations like this. That childhood instinct to be prepared for the worst when stealing something. An excuse was on the tip of her tongue ready to be used at any moment if the bartender turned around earlier than anticipated. Maybe, she wondered for a brief second when she realized what she was doing, maybe she wasn’t actually so different from him as she had always thought. 

[beepmekim]

“Okay, so I’m super excited and proud!” Kim said, not really caring whether the person next to her was actually listening or cared. She was happy and she had to tell someone. “So one of the girls in my kick boxing class told me that she was able to use a few moves on some guy who tried mugging her. Granted it sucks someone tried to do that, but I just can’t believe that I taught her so well.” She hummed with a grin. “You know, there’s also a couple spots open if you’d  like to join.”

[anyapetrovas]

Catching her attention with the exclamation of how proud she was, Anya listened to the other girl go on about her student and the supposed mugging. Raising an eyebrow, she gave the redhead a look over before deciding what the hell - it’s always best to be prepared, she guessed. And it’s not like it could hurt her to take a workout class or two. Except one thing held her back from just signing up right this moment. “How much does it cost?” she asked, cutting right to the point. No need to ask for any other information before she knew that.

[anyapetrovas]

dimitriv-anov‌:

“When there’s someone you’re specifically hoping to see, everyone else seems lackluster.” Dimitri replied, surprising himself at the amount of honesty in his words. Sure, they were still said in a lighthearted tone, easy to brush off as innocent flirting, but there was a reason no one else grabbed his attention tonight. There was a reason why no one else grabbed his attention since Russia, or at least not in the way she did. Brushing the thought away, he couldn’t help but to smile at the fact that she hadn’t danced with anyone else tonight. Letting himself indulge on her was bound to backfire yet he couldn’t be bothered to care. “Well then, I suppose you wouldn’t be interested in making it the last? Lurking led me to the discovery of a secret patio. We could steal a bottle from the bar and catch up, if you’re interested.”

The blush already warming her cheeks deepened at his words and Anya partially hated herself for it. For how easily he could still affect her like this. For how much she had missed him over these past few months. But the other part of her was glad to hear his words. To know that maybe he felt the same way too. “Yeah, I know what you mean,” she admits, one corner of her lips lifting in a half-smile. At his suggestion she hesitates for a moment - that was a lot more than she had intended on doing tonight. It was supposed to just be one dance, for old times sake she had reasoned, but now that she was so close to him again she was starting to realize that maybe letting him back into her life wouldn’t be so bad. Maybe he really had changed - or maybe she had, enough so that she could forgive him for what had happened, or even recognize her own part she had played in it all. “Okay,” she finally agrees. “But it better be the good stuff. Or at least something strong.”

[anyapetrovas]

dimitriv-anov‌:

There were plenty of wrongs he’d righted in his life, but not everything was resolved. When it came to her, however, nothing ever was. It might have partially been for a lack of trying, but there were no fitting words after how things played out. All he could do was wait for an opening, for a fresh start, and here Anya was extending something of an olive branch. It wasn’t perfect, but nothing about them ever was. Getting himself comfortable with a hand on her waist, he led her into a simple dance, guiding them slowly from side to side. “Admittedly, it was beginning to lose its hold on me before you came over. You can only lurk from a corner for so long before it just gets boring.” And creepy, but he was careful not to stare at anyone specific for too long. He’d been planning his escape when she gave him new reason to stay. “How about you? Looking like that, I’m sure you’ve been getting plenty of attention tonight.”

“Strange, you never took me for much of lurker. I was surprised to find you on your own to begin with. Would have thought you’d be surrounded by all the girls here tonight.” It was Anya’s hopefully subtle way of asking if he had arrived her with anyone, or if any other person had caught his eye during his time standing off in the corner on his own. Not that it was any of her business and of course not because she cared - she was just curious, that was all. Or at least, that was what she told herself. Chuckling slightly, she shook her head at his words. “You would think, but no. This is my first dance of the night, actually.” Which was completely fine by her - there wasn’t really anyone else here that she wanted to dance with anyway.

[chandelyer-deactivated20241003]

houndstooth dress

[rucifeee]

“Maybe I’ll find the girl of my dreams here tonight,” Lucifer said to the person standing next to him. “There’s so much mystery in the air with everyone in masks. If I meet a rich, ahem, I mean beautiful woman tonight we can dance the night away and then I’ll go on a quest to find out who she is when she has to leave. Now that I say it though it sounds like a lot more effort than it’s worth.” Lucifer was not the type for questing. He was hardly the type to get off of his couch.

[anyapetrovas]

Anya hadn’t expected the fellow besides her to strike up a conversation, but when he did she decided she had nothing better to do than listen to him. Something she immediately regretted once she caught on to the type of guy he seemed to be. “And how exactly do you plan to tell if they’re ahem rich?” she asks sharply. “Also this quest of yours sounds an awful lot like stalking.”

[stars-bean]

“Probably from spinning. Maybe we should stop.”

Anastasia (1997) dir. Don Bluth & Gary Goldman

[anyapetrovas]

dimitriv-anov‌:

Dimitri could meet as many people as he wanted to in Corona, but there was no one he’d be able to recognize in a crowd like her. Anya’s voice carried with the weight of a question much lighter than he expected, and the realization of her intentions brought a small smile to his face. Still looking ahead, he glanced around the ballroom with newfound appreciation for the event. “It’s been a long time since I’ve danced with anyone,” he mused aloud, a small truth as he glanced over at her. She was stunning as ever, with a mask fit perfectly to her cheeks and the black dress taking him back to a different era. From afar, it probably could look like they’d purposefully tried to match. But, here Dimitri was, with a stranger. “But I’d be remiss to say no to a mystery woman like you. Shall we?” He asked with his lips pulled up in the corners, hand offered out for Anya to take. He’d absolutely treat this as a fresh opportunity, if she would let him.

His words brought a faint blush to her face, memories of their time together in Russia returning easily. A night on a boat, dancing under the stars. The last time she had danced with anyone either. Anya hoped he was talking about the same night as her. Stupidly wished that he still thought about her as much as she did him. For even after everything that went down between them, she wanted that night to be real. Desperately needed that connection they shared to have meant more than just his stupid con. Taking the offered hand, she gave as steady of a smile as she could with her current thoughts racing through their past and took a step closer to him. “We shall,” she agreed, placing her other hand on his shoulder, just like that night so long ago. “So - uhm - how are you enjoying the night so far?”

[anyapetrovas]

neonjackielynn‌:

“That scream was impressive, though. Total slasher movie material.” Jackie offered the compliment as a weak way to make up for surprising the girl. “And I’m glad you weren’t holding anything liquid, or staining.”

“Thanks,” she accepted the compliment with a small laugh. “I’ve always dreamed of being a scream girl. Nice to know that I have the potential now.” Anya offered a small smile and held up her hands to show she indeed wasn’t carrying anything of the sorts. “Nope. Just a minor heart attack - that’s all.”

[anyapetrovas]

fnndoge‌:

Turning to face the younger girl, Finn couldn’t say that they weren’t surprised as she made her way over and offered the drink, their brows raised slightly. As harmless as the offer seemed to be, the taller person couldn’t help but wonder if there was anything more behind it. She was gorgeous, sure, that went without saying, but they definitely weren’t that kind of person, Then again, who was Finn if they weren’t willing to give others the benefit of the doubt? And they were never one to turn down a good glass of punch, that was for sure. With their mind finally made up and a goofy grin curving their lips, Finn finally accepted the cup from the brunette’s awaiting hands, already quick to take the first sip. “Thanks! You enjoyin’ yourself so far?”

Thankful that he hadn’t shot her down or simply walked away, Anya relaxed a bit. This was going to be okay. She wasn’t the best at meeting new people, usually either too prickly for their taste or too annoyed by them herself to get along with many others, but she had decided to work on that. Which is why she had approached the stranger in the first place. “I am, actually. Surprisingly this isn’t as boring as it sounded like it would be. I was afraid it was going to be all waltzing and super uptight... but it’s basically just like any other party.”

[anyapetrovas]

From the moment he had arrived, Anya had spotted Dimitri without any problem. The way he held himself, the general height and look of the rest of his body - even with his eyes hidden his identity was obvious to her. Any other time she would have gone out of her way to avoid him - still pissed and hurt from their shared past - but tonight was different. Tonight she could hide behind her mask and  the guise of saying she didn’t realize who he was. She could spend time with him, pretending to not have a clue of who he was, and save her pride and dignity the hit of admitting that maybe she just missed him and wanted to be near him once more. “Care for a dance, stranger?” she asked as she moved to stand besides him, her eyebrows raised behind her own mask. @dimitriv-anov​

[anyapetrovas]

Anya had no clue who the taller person was, but they seemed handsome enough, even if they were obviously older. But wasn’t that the point of an event like this? To meet new people that one might never have approached or talked to before? Making her way over with two glasses of punch in hand, Anya held one out as an offering with a small smile. “Care for a drink?” @fnndoge​

[anyapetrovas]

anya’s masquerade ball look